Curling broom

ABSTRACT

A curling broom which comprises a handle, a paddle attached to the handle, which paddle is made of synthetic material, and a fabric cover enclosing the paddle. The paddle is tubular in form and made of flexible plastic. The thin wall provides desirable &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;spring-back&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and yet the tube design ensures sufficient rigidity. The walls are downwardly tapered in thickness to provide gradually changing flexibility. A slab of foam plastic is inserted within the tube for altering the weight and flexibility within narrow limits.

llnite States Patent 1191 1451 Feb. 26, 1974 0lson [54] CURUNG BROOM FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor; Herbert Oliver Edrmmon, 211,593 1111965 Australia 401 203 Alberta, Canada 820,557 8/1969 Canada 15/160 l 60 m1 Brooms 2/22 1122: 2:22am, 401156,

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Filed: July 31, 1972 Appl. No.: 276,733

US. Cl 15/210 R, 15/160, 15/247 Int. Cl. A471 13/16, A63b 67/14 Field of Search. 15/147 R, 147 A, 160, 210 R, 15/228, 229 AP, 229 BP, 247; 401/24, 203, 204, 262, 264,283, 288

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1971 Harris 15/160 X 5/1953 Marchus 15/147 A 2/1973 Thompson 15/247 X Marinus Marinus Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or FirmE. Peter Johnson [5 7 ABSTRACT A curling broom which comprises a handle, a paddle attached to the handle, which paddle is made of synthetic material, and a fabric cover enclosing the paddle. The paddle is tubular in form and made of flexible plastic. The thin wall provides desirable spring-back v PATENTEI] FEBZ 8 4974 saw 2 or 2 ./II I I I I I II III! III I II I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I 1 I! a z /I I I III I I I I I 1/ VII II I I I I H/ litilfltliliiiuitlinl CURLING BROOM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a broom for use in the game of curling. More particularly, it is concerned with a broom having a covered flexible paddle made of synthetic material. The broom is designed to simulate the feel and sweeping action of a conventional corn straw curling broom.

In my Canadian patent number 820557, I describe a curling broom having a solid rubber paddle with a fitted pile cover; the paddle is attached to the lower end of the broom handle. The thickness and durometer hardness of the rubber are selected to provide a paddle having flexibility and spring-back characteristics similar to the straws of a conventional curling broom. However, the rubber paddle has a shortcoming in that it is heavy; users tend to become tired when sweeping energetically with it. I have therefore worked toward developing a paddle which is lighter than the rubber version, and yet which has a sweeping action similar to that 'of the corn straw broom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a broom having a synthetic paddle characterised by weight, flexibility, spring-back and bending properties similar to the straws of a conventional curling broom.

It is another object to provide a broom paddle which bends in a smooth curve when pressed against the ice.

It is another object to provide the broom with means for altering the weight distribution, flexibility, and bending characteristics of the paddle.

It is another object to provide a curling broom which is long-lasting and economical to make.

In accordance with the invention, a plastic paddle having a flexible tubular lower end is provided. The walls of the tube are downwardly tapered, whereby only the bottom few inches can be easily flexed. When the paddle is pressed against the ice, the tapered construction ensures that it bends gradually from the bottom in the form of a curve, rather than creasing intermediate its ends. The paddle is light in weight, due to its hollow structure. When the thin walls of the tube are bent, they have the property of quickly springing back to the vertical plane when released this is important in achieving the desired sweeping action. A flexible filling element, such as a slab of foam plastic, can be positioned within the tube cavity. The location and thickness of the filling element can be changed to alter the weight distribution, and flexibility and bending characteristics of the tubular end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional side view of the broom;

FIG. 2 is a front view, partly in section, of the broom;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the upper end of the paddle taken alongthe line -5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper end of the cover, showing its fastening;

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the paddle with certain dimensions identified by letters;

FIG. 6 is a sectional front view of the paddle with certain dimensions ientified by letters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawing, a curling broom l is shown. The broom 1 comprises a handle 2, a plastic paddle 3 attached to the lower end of the handle, a filling member 4 positioned within the tubular portion 5 of the paddle, and a cover 6 fitted over the paddle.

The paddle 3 comprises a rigid upper portion 7 integrally joined with the tubular lower portion 5. The upper portion 7 is formed with a thick, upwardly tapered sidewall 8 which defines a socket 9. The socket 9 is adapted to receive the handle 2. Screws 10 connect the handle 2 and socket portion 7 together. The tubular lower portion 5 has downwardly tapered side walls 5a and end walls 5b. The thickness and taper of the walls 5a, 5b are selected so that the bottom two or three inches thereof are readily flexed and there is a gradual increase in the rigidity of the lower portion 5 from that point up to its junction with the upper portion 7. It will be noted that the end walls 5b are somewhat thinner than the side walls 5a to permit some twisting of the tubular portion 5 during sweeping.

The dimensions of the paddle 3 vary, depending on the particular plastic used. I find that ethylene vinyl acetate copolyer resin provides desirable flexibility and toughness, even at subzero temperatures. This material is available from DuPont of Canada Limited under the trade mark Alathon E/VA 3180 and is characterised by the following properties:

Table I vinyl acetate 28 Melt index 15.0 Stiffness, psi 1,700 Vicat softening point F Ultimate tensile s trength,psi 1,500 elongation 900 Using this material, I make a paddle having the following dimensions:

7 Table II a= 12" b= 6" e= 2" l W 4 v2" The thickness of the wall 5b, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, decreases from three-eighth inch to one-sixteenth inch, and the thickness of the wall 5a, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, decreases from one-eithth inch to onesixteenth inch. A filling member 4 is positioned within the caviry 11 of the tubular lower portion 5. A one-half ince X 2 inch X 4 inch X 14 inches slab of plastic foam is satisfactory for use in the paddle whose dimensions are listed in Table II. The slab 4 is sufficiently thick to press against the interior surfaces of the side walls 5a; as a result, friction forces act to hold the slab in place. However, the slab can be easily shifted to a new position along the length of the lower portion 5. In use, the

slab offsets buckling or creasing of the lower portion 5' is a 5/16 inch thick nylon pile attached to a plasticcoated nylon backing.

A paddle made in accordance with the invention provides a combination of weight, spring-back, flexibility and bending properties which is similar to that of the bunch of straws of a conventional corn straw curling broom; the feel and sweeping action, of the synthetic paddle approximates that of the straw broom.

What is claimed is:

l. A curling broom for sweeping ice which comprises:

a handle;

a plastic paddle attached to the handle, said paddle having a substantially rigid upper portion, defining means for connection with the handle, and a flexible, tubular lower portion joined to the upper porthe filling member comprises a slab of foam plastic. 

1. A curling broom for sweeping ice which comprises: a handle; a plastic paddle attached to the handle, said paddle having a substantially rigid upper portion, defining means for connection with the handle, and a flexible, tubular lower portion joined to the upper portion, said lower portion having downwardly tapered walls; a flexible filling member positioned within the cavity of the tubular lower portion and cooperating with the lower portion''s walls to remain stationary within the cavity, said member being adapted to be shifted to a new position along the length of the tubular lower portion when desired whereby the weight distribution, flexibility and bending properties of the lower portion are altered; and a cover fitted over the paddle to provide an ice-wiping surface.
 2. The broom as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the filling member comprises a slab of foam plastic. 